Contrary to the overwhelming belief that kids who make it to Stuyvesant High School are often thought of as coming from families with a leg up in class and ability to pay for preparation for The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, the federal government believes otherwise.

This year, the high school will be receiving federal support after being designated as a “high poverty school.”

An overwhelming population of students are receiving free or reduced lunches at the school, qualifying Stuyvesant as a high poverty school, prompting Title I funding from the federal government.

In a recent campaign to properly identify the students at need, parents have counted the declining economy and students from new immigrant families at the school, are some of the reasons for the increase of impoverished students at Stuyvesant.

The numbers are staggering.

A count of students at the poverty level in 2006 accounted for only 17%, where as in 2009, nearly 40% of the entire school were considered at the poverty level.

The federal aid will provide nearly $1.6 million, which accounts for 10% of the high school’s total operating budget.

About Lizbeth

Elizabeth has been a resident of Battery Park City since 1985, where she and her sister were beneficiaries of the neighborhood's first school bus stop. She loves to travel, but loves even more to come home. The Battery Park Esplanade is her favorite neighborhood fixture, where you'll often find her soaking up the sun, rollerblading, or simply enjoying the view.
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